Craven Arms & Rural Local Joint Committee
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Craven Arms & Rural LJC 2/2/11 3 CRAVEN ARMS & RURAL LOCAL JOINT COMMITTEE NOTE OF DECISIONS AND ACTIONS STEMMING FROM THE MEETING HELD ON 30th SEPTEMBER 2010, 7.00 PM – 9.10 PM AT ONIBURY VILLAGE HALL Responsible Officer: Julie Fildes Tel: 01584 838250 Email: [email protected] Committee Members Present: Shropshire Council David Evans Church Stretton and Craven Arms ED James Gibson Church Stretton and Craven Arms ED Cecilia Motley (Chairman) Corvedale ED Town/Parish Councils Peter Belamy Diddlebury Parish Council Carol Byng Culmington Parish Council David Clarke Hopesay Parish Council Buster Evans Munslow Parish Council RobinGatehouse StantonLacy Michael Hardingham Clee St Margaret Parish Council Virginia Hickman Onibury Parish Council Neville Stephens Craven Arms Town Council Alan Millhouse Wistanstow Parish Council Brian Norgrove Hopton Cangeford and Stoke St Milborough PC Co-opted Member David Barclay Sibdon Carwood Shropshire Council Officers present: Kathryn Edwards Lead Officer Cheryl Williams Support Officer Peter Dunhill Community Working Officer Julie Fildes Committee Officer (Notes) There were approximately 35 members of the public and representatives of other organisations present at the meeting. Contact Julie Fildes, tel 01584 838250 13 Craven Arms & Rural LJC 2/2/11 3 ACTION 25. INTRODUCTIONS AND CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUCEMENT The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. Members noted that Agenda item 7; Community Safety Issues, would be brought forward on the agenda and taken after Agenda item 3. 26. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Andrew Pike of Culmington Parish Council (substitute - Councillor Carol Byng) and Clive LeWorthy (substitute – Councillor Neville Committee Stephens). Officer 27. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST The following declarations of personal and prejudicial interest were made:- Personal Member Agenda Item Reason David Evans 4, Village Hall Member of Onibury Discussion Village Hall Committee Neville Stephens 10b, Funding Governor of Stokesay application from Primary School which SSEA benefits from the work of this charity. Personal and Prejudicial Member Agenda Item Reason David Clarke 10b, Funding Member of SSEA application from SSEA Neville Stephens 10c, Funding A board member of application from South Shropshire Youthful Housing Association. Communities 10d, Funding application from Homegrown 28. NOTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING RESOLVED: that the notes of the meeting of the Craven Arms and Rural Local Joint Committee held on 15th July 2010 be approved and signed as a correct record by the Chairman. Chairman Contact Julie Fildes, tel 01584 838250 14 Craven Arms & Rural LJC 2/2/11 3 ACTION 29. COMMUNITY SAFETY Police Sergeant Nikki Roberts introduced herself as the Officer responsible for the Craven Arms, Church Stretton and Bishop’s Castle areas of South Shropshire. Members noted that there had been a slight but not significant increase in overall levels of crime in the Craven Arms area. Sergeant Roberts commented that a single neighbourhood dispute had been solely responsible for an increase in reported incidents of criminal damage. Sergeant Roberts informed Members that there had been a number of thefts from people using the Harry Tuffins supermarket in Craven Arms. In response to a question, Sergeant Roberts confirmed that this spate was confined to this one supermarket and it was suspected that the store was being targeted by an opportunist thief. Members were reminded of the importance of ensuring that cars and outbuildings were secured and checked regularly, as there had been an increase in the theft of tools and items which could be sold as scrap metal. There was also evidence that a local car had been taken, used in a local bank robbery and returned to the owners drive, without the knowledge of the owner. Items found in the vehicle indicated that it had also been used for the storage of the stolen items. In response to a Member’s question Sergeant Roberts stated that the Rural Watch scheme was working well, and had attracted a satisfactory number of members. The spate of livestock thefts which had occurred earlier in the season had ceased but the culprits had not been apprehended. Sergeant Roberts reminded Members that should problems of antisocial behaviour continue in Craven Arms it was important that they be reported to the police to enable action to be taken. 30. VILLAGE HALL DISCUSSION Ms Gill Porter was welcomed and introduced as the Community Buildings Development Officer for the Community Council of Shropshire. Members noted that it was part of her role to advise on the general management of village halls in Shropshire. Following an incident at a village hall in a neighbouring LJC area she had been invited to talk to Members about holding large events in village halls. Contact Julie Fildes, tel 01584 838250 15 Craven Arms & Rural LJC 2/2/11 3 Ms Porter gave advice on the importance of written hire ACTION agreements which clearly set terms and conditions of hire, and the liabilities of each of the parties. She suggested using the Model Hiring Agreement available from Action with Communities in Rural England. She recommended that village hall committees adopted the practice of knowing the hirers of their village hall and reserving the right through a term in the hire agreement to make inspections of the way in which the hall was being used. She gave examples where village halls had been used for immoral or criminal activities without the knowledge of the Trustees. Members noted the importance of anticipating problems before they arose and the importance of early action. Ms Porter suggested that booking secretaries should be prepared to refuse or cancel bookings if there were concerns and the hiring agreement should contain clauses which supported this action. Even where problems where not anticipated she stressed the importance of the hirers knowing who to contact in an emergency, and she suggested having a designated committee member on call for the duration of the event. Also, having the full address including the postcode in a prominent place which could be given to emergency services if called. Ms Porter advised that all village hall committees should have a set of agreed procedures and policies, which included detailed procedures for the taking of bookings and late bookings. She also suggested procedures for dealing with damage caused by hirers and a procedure setting out the actions to be taken in the event of a fatality. In response to a Member’s query she stated that to be enforceable and legal, policies and procedures required a clear rational, must be formally agreed by the Trustees and must be available to the users of the hall. She reminded Members that the Trustees were responsible for the safe management of the hall and must ensure that all fire safety and health and safety risk assessments had been completed and were up to date. In response to a Member’s query about events involving young people, Ms Porter advised that booking clerks should consider the possible consequences of accepting these bookings. As with all bookings, steps could be taken to reduce the likelihood of problems at an event. It was possible for village hall committees to include a clause in the hiring agreement stipulating an adult to young person ratio, the requirement that the hirer provided door staff and the charging of a large returnable deposit which would cover the cost of repairs should these be necessary. Ms Porter reminded Members that even without the sale of Contact Julie Fildes, tel 01584 838250 16 Craven Arms & Rural LJC 2/2/11 3 alcohol the premises license could be at risk if the licensing ACTION authority considered that they did not uphold the four objectives of the Licensing Act. A correctly drafted and signed hiring agreement could give Trustees a degree of protection against this. In response to a Member’s request about responsibilities regarding the sale of alcohol, Ms Porter advised that if the bar was being run by representatives of the village hall committee and under the village hall’s license all responsibility for the sales of alcohol rested with the village hall committee. She suggested that village hall committees may consider requesting that the hirer take responsibility for the provision of the bar and apply for a temporary events notice to do so. Members noted the difference between Holding Trustees and Management Trustees and the different responsibilities each group had. The Chairman thanked Ms Porter for addressing the meeting and prompting an interesting discussion. 31. MARKET TOWN REVITALISATION PROGRAMME The Chairman advised Members that Shropshire Council was providing £3 million for regeneration of the county’s market towns between 2010 and 2015. As part of the ‘The Larger Market Town Fund’ £2.5 million would be allocated to support the six largest market towns, which included Ludlow and Church Stretton. The remaining £500,000 would form the ‘Market Towns Capital Initiative fund’. The remaining eleven smaller market towns, which included Craven Arms, would be able to bid for funding for capital projects that would contribute to the regeneration of the towns. Members also noted the ‘Rural Settlements Challenge Fund’ which would make a further £500,000 available to rural communities and was expected to be launched in April 2011 and would replace the existing Community Grants Scheme. 32. JOIN THE CONVERSATION The Chairman reported to Members on the ‘Join the Conversation’ event held in Craven Arms on 16th September 2010. Representatives from the Fire Service, PCT and Police, as well as Council representatives had attended and listened to local people’s views about public services and how these should be provided in the increasing climate of economic pressure. Members noted that Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) were replacing Advantage West Midlands. Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Herefordshire Councils had submitted a joint Contact Julie Fildes, tel 01584 838250 17 Craven Arms & Rural LJC 2/2/11 3 application for funding for area partnerships.